Share this:

DETROIT — Before you roll your eyes in boredom and scoff the next time Derek Jeter delivers his theory why teams succeed in the postseason remember this: The Giants are a win away from winning the World Series.

“The teams that are playing the best win,’’ Jeter has said often.

Clearly, the Giants played better than the Tigers in the first three games. Yet, compare the Giants’ lineup with the Yankees’ and Jeter’s belief is dead on.

“[Buster] Posey for sure and the way A-Rod [Alex Rodriguez] played, [Pablo] Sandoval,’’ an NL talent evaluator said when asked which Giants would start for the Yankees.

Posey would play ahead of Russell Martin and the switch-hitting Sandoval, who opened eyes with three homers in Game 1 and is a strong MVP candidate, gets the nod over Rodriguez at third.

Mark Teixeira is the choice over Brandon Belt. Robinson Cano starts over Marco Scutaro, even if Scutaro has enjoyed a fabulous postseason. Jeter is better than Brandon Crawford. Nick Swisher is more productive than Hunter Pence. Curtis Granderson’s disastrous postseason aside, he is the choice over Angel Pagan and Ichiro Suzuki stands above Gregor Blanco.

It’s worth noting that if Melky Cabrera hadn’t been suspended in August he would be the choice in left.

And it’s not like the Giants players are all young studs at the beginning of big league careers.

Scutaro is 36 and has played for the Mets, A’s, Blue Jays, Red Sox and Rockies. Pagan, 31, was going to be a non-tender by the Mets last year before being dealt. Pence is 29 and could be with his fourth team in three years when spring training opens. Pence did hit 24 homers and drive in 104 runs for the Phillies and Giants this year, but in 59 games for the Giants he batted .219 with seven homers and 45 RBIs.

Of course, it would be ignorant to avoid the Giants pitchers in the equation. They have a staff ERA of 1.00 and haven’t allowed a run in 18 innings.

So, from a scouts view point, how does a team lacking in marquee names in the lineup thrive on the biggest stage?

“The Yankees are more concerned with major stars without looking at guys who go the other way,’’ the scout said. “Who goes the other way for the Yankees other than Jeter? Who gives themselves up moving a guy from second to third?

***

The Giants are the 24th team to win the first three World Series games and the other 23 won it. Twenty have won it in four games.

***

According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Giants are the second team to win the first three World Series games and have the starters post the victory and allow no more than one run the wins. The other team was the 1937 Yankees.

***

Sandoaval had two hits in Game 3 and is batting .377 (23-for-61) in the postseason.

***

Max Scherzer has experience dealing with the cold weather expected for Sunday night’s Game 4 when the temperature is expected to be in the low 40s or high 30s.

“I haven’t worn [long] sleeves the whole year fortunately, but that’s going to change,’’ Scherzer said. “I am going back to all the tricks I did in college [Missouri], numerous 40-degree games there,’’ the Tigers starter said.

What sort of tricks?

“Wearing shorts underneath your pants, finding the right long sleeves, warming up extra long, anything you can do to keep your body warm,’’ Scherzer said.

As far as an edge, Scherzer said he wasn’t sure the cold benefits the pitcher or the hitter.

“It’s tough on everybody, it’s an even playing field,’’ Scherzer said. “No one likes cold weather but it is what it is and we have a chance to play in the World Series, who cares.’’

Matt Cain wasn’t as detailed.

“Cold is cold, you just have to play through it,’’ the Giants’ Game 4 starter said.

***

Miguel Cabrera and Posey were named as winners of the Hank Aaron Award before the game. The award is given to the most outstanding offensive performer in the AL and NL. It’s the first time ever the recipients have met in the World Series.